The Daniel Island News

SIP of Daniel Island

Thu, 11 Mar 2010 11:36:46 PST

Fly fishing with the Orvis Hydros produced great success

Thu, 11 Mar 2010 11:30:53 PST

Meet the winners of the 2010 Daniel Island Tennis Challenge

Thu, 11 Mar 2010 11:15:44 PST

Olympic skier returns to Daniel Island and offers an inside look at the Olympic experience

Thu, 11 Mar 2010 10:49:41 PST

It was certainly a "golden moment" for a group of Daniel Island School 7th graders last Thursday. U.S. Olympic athlete Ashley Caldwell, fresh from her serial skiing competition at the Vancouver Olympic Games, stopped in to visit with students and share stories from her experience in the global sporting event. Caldwell's family lives on Daniel Island. Her sister Jordan, pictured at her left in the photo, is a student at the school. Ashley later attended the school's PTA meeting to watch her younger sister perform in a fashion show.

Fresh off a successful Olympic appearance, 16-year old U.S. Aerial freestyle skier Ashley Caldwell returned to Daniel Island last week to spend time with family, which included a visit to her sister’s class at the Daniel Island School.

"I did much better than I expected," said Caldwell. After not even being on the U.S. Olympic squad at the beginning of the year, Caldwell made the Olympic finals and finished in 10^th place among 23 competitors.

What can you do to help lower heating, electric and water costs for your family?

Thu, 11 Mar 2010 10:44:12 PST

Turn the lights off. Ben, age 5 1/2

I could turn off lights and take shorter showers. Caroline, age 7

When it's light outside, I don't turn on the lights. Joseph, age 6

Turn off electronics when you aren't using them. Josh, age 4

Encourage them to take shorter showers. Lainey, age 9

By not turning up the heat. Maya, age 6 3/4

Part 5: Home-based businesses here on the Island

Thu, 11 Mar 2010 10:41:47 PST

I have seen the face of the pilot

Thu, 11 Mar 2010 10:40:40 PST

NBSC takes steps to foreclose on The Charleston Club, parts of BB&T Building

Thu, 11 Mar 2010 10:38:03 PST

Save the Date March 11, 2010

Wed, 10 Mar 2010 12:26:30 PST

Fifth grader is impetus behind Lunch Buddies

Wed, 10 Mar 2010 12:22:07 PST

DI residents weigh in on energy bills

Wed, 10 Mar 2010 12:17:40 PST

SCE&G proposes rate increase

Recent flare-ups in electric and gas bills may be having a chilling effect on household budgets, as evidenced by the results of a recent survey posed to readers of The Daniel Island News.

When asked "How do you feel about your recent heating bills?" about 44 percent of those responding reported their bills were "higher than expected," while another 30.2 percent rated them as "much higher than expected." Much of that is likely due to colder than average temperatures, not rate increases, according to South Carolina Electric & Gas Company (SCE&G) media representative Eric Boomhower. In fact, in January of this year, SCE&G set a new winter record for peak electricity demand.

"I’m actually surprised the number is not bigger," said Boomhower, referencing the survey response percentage. "The weather has been much colder in the state than versus a year ago, much colder. In fact, I know my own heating bill was almost $100 higher than the next highest bill I’ve ever had. It’s not about higher rates, it’s about lower temperatures."

Data obtained at the SCE&G Web site indicates that two extra days in the January billing cycle compared to 2009, combined with lower temps, had the potential to cause sharp increases for many customers. Boomhower, who lives in the Columbia area, said his electric bill went up 64 percent over last year.

"The average temperature dropped 14 degrees," he said. "When you go from 50 degrees to 40 degrees, you’re running some heat, and that’s what happened…We had five straight days in January where the temperatures dropped below the teens."

Boomhower also said that homes in this part of the country are typically not built or equipped to sustain long periods of cold weather as well as their northern counterparts.

"The electric heat pump is standard (here) for most folks," he added. "But once temperatures get down to 30 degrees or so they become very inefficient…Basically, a heat pump can’t work in an optimal way at that temperature as it starts getting colder and has to run nonstop. It will be cranking around the clock."

The other component is your thermostat setting, said Boomhower, which can affect a large portion of your bill each month.

"There is a huge range between 70 and 75 degrees in terms of how much it could cost you on your bill."

Another factor set to impact heating and cooling bills in SCE&G’s 23,000 square-mile territory is the company’s proposed 9.52 percent overall base rate increase submitted in January to the Public Service Commission of South Carolina. A public hearing on the increase is expected to be held within the next few months. When Daniel Island residents were asked how they felt about the possibility of paying more for electric services, about 76 percent were opposed to the idea, saying they were "against any rate hike." Another 23.7 percent said they would be in favor of a smaller hike.

"I think consumers are shelling out enough because of the continued slump," wrote one respondent. "It’s not helping for a company to raise the price of something that is a necessity."

"This is an industry with vast resources," commented another resident. "They should be developing cheaper, better ways to provide their products, rather than continuing to pass them on to the consumer…"

Consumer impacts were taken into consideration, said Boomhower, when SCE&G began planning for the rate increase. A press release issued by the company in January explained that the proposed new rate is primarily driven by the costs associated with complying with $700 million worth of federally mandated environmental and safety initiatives. For example, the installation of $500 million scrubbers will eliminate more than 95 percent of sulfur dioxide from two SCE&G plants and an estimated 60 to 90 percent of mercury emissions.

"We are committed to conducting business in an environmentally sensitive manner," said SCE&G President Kevin Marsh. "However, ensuring compliance with ever-increasing governmental regulations comes with a price tag, and it’s getting steeper all the time. This rate increase is a concrete example of that fact."

If approved, the rate change will go into effect over an 18 month period, beginning in July with a 3.19 percent increase. Subsequent increases would be implemented in January and July of 2011. According to SCE&G, the monthly bill of a residential customer using 1,000 kilowatt hours of electricity would increase $3.19 in phase one, $3.77 in phase two, and $4.01 in phase three.

"We’re definitely sensitive to the impact this is having on people," said Boomhower. "We understand this is an emotional issue and that people are going through challenging times right now. We wouldn’t be doing it if we didn’t have too… We need to make tough decisions to make sure we can still operate viably and serve our customers."

The majority of those surveyed on the subject by The Daniel Island News reported that they have not taken any steps, personally, to protest the rate increase. Residents are welcome to attend the public hearing scheduled in May or June with the state’s Public Service Commission, said Boomhower.

"We have to make the case and justify why we think this is necessary, and show that we’ve been prudent in how we’ve operated the company," he added. "…The public hearing process gives people an opportunity to have that voice heard."

SCE&G also offers a variety of tips to consumers to keep costs low, including taking an online "home energy audit" to analyze your electric usage, conducting an in-home energy consultation with SCE&G, or taking steps to weatherize your home. In addition, rebates, bill and tax credits, and financial assistance initiatives are also available. For additional information, visit the SCE&G Web site at www. sceg.com.

"Dear President Obama"

Wed, 10 Mar 2010 12:13:24 PST

Sometimes, the best ideas come while you’re just spinning your wheels. At least that’s how it happened for Daniel Island resident Beth Brannan, who had an epiphany of sorts while riding a stationary exercise bike during a class at the local East Shore Athletic Club. Brannan decided then and there, as her feet went around and around in circles, it was time that politicians stopped doing the same.

"I had just watched the ‘State of the Union’ address the night before and was really so disappointed," she said. "It seemed that the House and Senate were much more interested in displaying party loyalty than in actually trying to work together. It just seemed ridiculous at times."

Former U.S. Rep. Henry Brown enters BC supervisor race

Wed, 10 Mar 2010 12:11:43 PST

There was some shuffling in the pool of candidates for Berkeley County Supervisor over the weekend.

On Friday, soon-to-be retired U.S. Representative Henry Brown, (R–S.C.), a Berkeley County native who is finishing his fifth and final term in his congressional post, announced that he would be entering the supervisor race.

The next day, at a breakfast for Berkeley County Republicans, supervisor candidate Terry Hardesty removed himself from the running. Hardesty, who is currently a member of the Berkley County School Board, announced on his campaign’s Facebook page that he will be "entering the race for Berkeley County Council District 6" instead.

Non-Profit Briefs

Wed, 10 Mar 2010 12:07:49 PST

Coastal Kids Dental holds shoe drive

Every 9 seconds, Soles4Souls, Inc. gives away another pair of shoes to someone in need. The shoe charity has earned glowing endorsements from Hollywood stars and professional athletes, but the people that truly make the non-profit organization effective are those who clean out their closets to personally drop off their "gently worn" shoes at a participating location, such as Coastal Kids Dental.

For a limited time, Soles4Souls and Coastal Kids Dental will be collecting your gently worn footwear and/or donations to ship the shoes to a person in need, whether they are victims of a natural disaster or subject to living in extreme poverty. It is estimated that Americans have 1.5 billion pairs of unused shoes lying in their closets. The charity can use each and every one of these pairs to make a tangible difference in someone’s life.

Island women prepare to get dirty for MS research

Wed, 10 Mar 2010 12:04:06 PST

Daniel Island ladies are currently engaged in hard core training to take part in a 10K "Mud Run" for Multiple Sclerosis on March 20th in Jacksonville, Florida.

A group of Daniel Island women plans to get downright messy near the end of this month. But they don’t seem to be sweating it, at least not in the emotional sense. The ladies are currently engaged in hard core training to take part in a 10K "Mud Run" on March 20 in Jacksonville, Florida, to raise money for multiple sclerosis (MS) research. Around 30 island women make up about six teams that have signed on for the event.

Many in the group are running in support of their friend, Daniel Island resident Amy Jimenez. When the bubbly, outgoing mother of two was diagnosed with MS four years ago, she was determined to look on the bright side of things.

"I try to stay real positive about it," she said, just after a morning workout last week. "I just don’t let things get me down. It could be a lot worse. I’ve got a great husband and a great support system. I feel good."

Daniel Island Oyster Roast 2010

Thu, 04 Mar 2010 13:49:44 PST

Daniel Island School March 4, 2010

Thu, 04 Mar 2010 13:13:39 PST

Palmetto Scholars Academy gets powerful audience

Thu, 04 Mar 2010 13:04:18 PST

Fishing is a great way to reconnect with old friends and to form new bonds

Thu, 04 Mar 2010 12:46:11 PST

What's the hardest exercise you've ever done?

Thu, 04 Mar 2010 12:39:42 PST

Probably swimming 8,000 yards. Katie, age 12

Jumping jacks. Nicolas, age 6

Sit-ups, probably. Sammy, age 6 1/2

Push ups. Kelsey, age 7

Pull ups. Hannah, age 10

Crunches. Kaleb, age 6 3/4